Sexy Sass Dawn Derow Serves LEGIT at Metropolitan Room, 9/26

Sexy Coloratura, MAC Award Nominee Dawn Derow, the New England song bird, serves it up again, at New York's Metropolitan Room in an Opera Cabaret entitled "LEGIT," on September 26. Ms. Derow will sing an array of famous coloratura arias, performed with a tempered interpretive twist. She will be portraying the classic Opera diva characters as originally conceived, but through the eyes of a modern, urban New York City chic of today named Dawn Derow. This fresh take, will allow the audience to experience some of their favorites such as "Quando M'en Vo," "Caro Nome," and "Glitter And Be Gay," to name a few, with renewed excitement and understanding. Dawn says, "I'm adding more of me to the characters, so the show will be less of a classical recital and more of a fun filled cabaret with my favorite opera arias and kick ass high notes!" There will be musical surprises, one being a special tribute to George Gershwin, born in Brooklyn on September 26, 1898.

"LEGIT" Friday, September 26, 2014 at 9:30 PM METROPOLITAN ROOM 34 West 22nd St. (btw 5th & 6th) Tickets; $25 + 2 drink minimum http://metropolitanroom.com/event.cfm?id=155399&cart ;
Performed by Dawn Derow Directed by Lina Koutrakos Music directed by Mark Janas

About Dawn Derow The New England song bird, is originally from Cape Cod, MA, where she began performing at the tender age of 8. She made her UK debut at London's Fringe Theater as Maria in an international cast of Twelfth Night . After returning to the "Big Apple" to portray the role of Cathy in The Last Five Years at the Emerging Artist Theater in New York City. Dawn quickly departed NYC to entertain around the world. Critics and audiences alike praised her sold out appearances, her most celebrated engagements featured the music of Karen Carpenter.

Some of her favorite theatrical credits include Diana Steed in The Human Comedy and Cosette in a concert version of Les Miserable where she played opposite American Idols; Constantine Maroulis as Marius and made her Brooklyn debut as Antonia in the musical classic, Man of La Mancha with the Gallery Players in 2008. A versatile vocalist, Dawn has also performed in the world of Opera. She received critical acclaim in her concert performances in Tuscany and Switzerland as the Soprano soloist in Schubert's Mass in G. She was also heard in the roles of Valencienne in The Merry Widow (sung in German with Italian Dialogue) in Rome, Italy, Papagana in The Magic Flute, Lucy in The Telephone, and Adele in Die Fledermaus. She studied Music at the Boston Conservatory of Music graduating with the 2nd highest vocal score of her class. In 2008, Dawn made her Cabaret Debut at the Duplex Theater in NYC with her show Shooting My Arrow. She returned to the Duplex with her second show, Crossing the Line featuring Carl Haan on piano. In June of 2010 she appeared at Don't Tell Mama in the well-received You Live, You Learn...Hopefully directed by Lennie Watts, featuring Sean Harkness, Donna Kelly, with back up vocals by Suzanne Fiore and Jason Reiff, and musical director and arranger Tracy Stark. Soon after, she began working on her 4th show "Music 4 Two", a duet show with the talented Sean Harkness. After 4 performances at Don't Tell Mama's, the duet moved their run to Metropolitan Room on February 19th, 2012 to do a LIVE recording of the show. The MAC Award Nominated CD of "MUSIC 4 TWO" was released in January, 2013. Sean & Dawn continued to tour promoting the CD at various venues, including the Cutting Room in May, 2013. Dawn continues to sing solo in various piano bars and small venues around Manhattan, such as Metropolitan Room, Core Club, Birdland, The Cutting Room, Somethin' Jazz Club, and the Friar's Club. Over the past year, she put together a band called "IRIS" with Jazz pianist Matt Baker, Bass player Adam Kabak, and Drummer Brian Fishler. A contemporary pop/rock band with a jazz feel. Stay tuned for their next gigs at Somethin' Jazz Club and Toshi's Living Room.

As a solo singer all of her adult life, Lina Koutrakos has had her share of public successes and early on, made some public mistakes. Though Lina's reviews have applauded her "one-in-a-million voice," it's the continual raves about her stage presence, her honesty, truth-telling and power that have set her apart. Described as a "force of nature," she started to offer other singers her techniques, sharing with them how she translated to audiences in a way that got her those particular accolades in the form of teaching and coaching. As a multi award-winning New York City director her successes continued to grow in this area and she began traveling, teaching performance workshops for solo singers throughout the United States. www.linasings.com ;

Mark Janas began his piano studies at age of three, composed a sonatina at 5, and by high school was conducting the Hammond Area Youth Orchestra. At Indiana University he studied with pianist Karen Shaw, composer Bernhard Heiden, and conductors Jan Harrington and Tibor Kozma, among others. While a senior at Indiana, he was chosen by Leonard Bernstein to conduct at Bernstein festivals in Israel and Austria. He was twice Bernstein's assistant, for concerts with the New York Philharmonic and Boston Symphony orchestras. After receiving a bachelor of music degree from Indiana University and a brief stint as associate conductor of Texas Opera Theatre, he acquired a master's degree in orchestral conducting at Rice University, while simultaneously founding and conducting a professional group, Orchestra Texas. In 1982, he was a conducting fellow at the Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute, studying with Bernstein, Tilson Thomas, Hogwood, and Blomstedt. In 1984, he jumped the fence to musical theater, composing a score for a historical drama The Lone Star, later recorded in London with members of the LSO, and later conducted the Houston Symphony in a performance of a Suite from the work. Janas music directed the world's largest production of Hello, Dolly!, creating all-new arrangements for its star, Marilyn Maye. He performed all over the United States as associate conductor for two national tours of LES MISERABLES, as well as music directing for the Yale Repertory Theatre, Hippodrome State Theatre, Arkansas Repertory Theatre, and New Dramatists, to name a few. He music directed the Chautauqua Opera Cabarets in 1998 and more recently has performed and released a CD with 2001 Best Debut BackStage Bistro and MAC award winner Julie Reyburn. Performances with Maree Johnson took him to Australia, and last summer two New York readings of his original musical, PoeSCrypt, were very well received; a recording of the work is currently in process. Mr. Janas won the 2002 BackStage Bistro Award for Outstanding Achievement in Musical Direction, and, having taught before at Yale, Barnard, Concordia, and NYU, as well as his Acting The Song class with colleague Andy Gale. Co-Host of The Salon www.markjanasthesalon.com .

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